Bobby woke up to the sound of someone beating on his door. He turned over to find Logan standing over his bed, claws extended. Automatically, he jumped away from the bed and iced up. "I promise— I won't date Jubilee!"

Logan smiled, "Good." As he walked out of the room, he added, "Cyke 123 for Sam." Once Bobby's heart started beating normally, he smiled. Cyke 123 was a beauty of a plan.

Silently, he went into Bishop's room. Once there he shooed the cat off the bed and moved the gun off the night stand. Then he grabbed Bishop's foot with an icy hand. Bishop woke up and lunged for his gun. Not finding it, he turned to face Bobby. "Cyke 123!" Bobby told him as he ran out of the room.

***

Scott was the first to arrive at the briefing room. Sam, Betsy, Joseph, and Storm were due for an intense workout first thing this morning.

"And then Denzil told Jay--" Storm was talking to Betsy as they walked in. "Good morning, Scott." Then she turned back to Betsy. Joseph was next to come in. It was rare that Sam would be the last one to join the group, he was a morning person.

Berto came in with a smile on his face. "Sam won't be here, he got in so late from his date--"

Storm and Betsy exchanged looks. "Did they?"

Berto turned to the two and asked "What?" as Bobby walked in, followed closely by Bishop, who somehow looked even more angry than usual.

Scott turned to the two and asked, "What are you--" but he was cut off again by Rogue when she walked into the room.

"Ah just got all the details from Paige," she announced proudly. "That gal said it was somethin' close ta voyeurism...."

"Isn't that the watching of too much 'Voyager'?" Bobby asked, stopping Scott from getting a word in.

Domino came in on that line and rolled her eyes. "So, who won the bet?" Warren, Logan, and Remy were right behind her.

Rogue smiled as she saw Gambit. "Remy." And it was none of the team's business that he had bribed the band to do so. And it was not for general discussion that she had added another twenty bucks to the bribe before she and Gambit snuck out the back.

Berto was the next to ask, "Do you think they're going out again? Morning, Tab." Terry, Jimmy, and Tabitha walked in together. Tabitha went over to Berto and sat in his lab, much to the surprise of most of the people in the room.

Cable was next in the room, and summarized, "This is new."

Ric, Shatterstar, and Jean were the last ones in the room and heard Tabitha announce, "Sam gave us his blessing last night. Seems he and Rahne really hit it off."

Scott almost got a word in, but this time Jean stopped him. "Finally!" she gloated. "I was almost starting to think those two would take as long as me and Scott to get together."

Gambit started to hand out coffee and fruit as Logan said, "Took 'em long enough."

A shadow crossed Ric's face as he said, "I just hope Rahne's happy."

Berto nodded as he took a bite of an apple, "I'm sure he'll treat her right. Heck, with all us old New Mutants around, he better."

Scott almost got the chance to talk but Betsy asked, "What song did the trick?"

Bobby answered, "'On The Verge'" Several of the group turned and stared. "Paige got me to admit I'd never given country music a fair shake. I kind of liked it."

This time, Scott got out a "Peo-" before his own son interrupted him. "So, in the course of one night, Sam and Rahne got together, Sam's best friend and his ex got together, and Sam's sister and Bobby did not get together. Correct?"

"Got it!" Betsy smiled, neatly stopping Scott from saying a word. Scott started to turn red.

"At least Sam and Rachel didn't get together," Storm said with a smile. "Could you image the size of that family?" The group laughed.

Terry smiled as she said, "If Da' and Moira got married, that'll make me and Rahne stepsisters. Heck, as long as those two have been dating, we should be. Could ye image the family get-togethers with Sam's kin involved?"

Logan laughed, "Let those two have some time to just date before planning the wedding."

"But blue and gold would be wonderful colors," Rogue started. "Or yellow and black, if they wanted to be mushy." "OKAY" Scott finally got to say a word. "I want to see everybody that should be working out in the danger room in the danger room this second." The group stopped their conversation and stared at him. He was so mad that a vein popped out over his right eye. Wordlessly, they all went into the danger room.

"I meant those signed up!" No one moved.

"Paige asked me ta take his place!" Rogue started.

Gambit stopped her, "Gambit said--"

Logan stopped him, "I said--"

Berto objected, "I'm his best friend." A general free-for-all over who would take Sam's place started as Scott got redder and redder.

"GET OUT!" he bellowed. "Just get out." Cyke 123 worked like a charm.

***

Paige sat down at the table, carefully looking away from Jono as Jubilee filled her in on last night. "And then the marshals were like, 'we don't lose' and we were like, 'un-uh, sure, whatever' so they challenged us ta another game and we won. And it was so cool!" She took another bite of her Sugar Bombs and smiled.

(Have a good time?) Jono finally asked her.

"I love dancing, and Bobby is a neat guy once you get to know him," Paige told him. "Upbeat, and funny." The others at the table exchanged glances. It was show time.

*Hope it was worth it.*

"Better than sitting around waiting for some guy to give me the honor of angsting about me." Paige finished her cup of coffee and waited for the next remark.

*As I said, hope it was worth it.* Jono turned to her, mad that she would dare date someone else.

"The way I figure it, I was tired of waiting for you." She calmly ate her toast and watched Jono react to what she was saying.

*Waiting for me!* Jono started. Angelo quickly removed the knifes from the table. It could get quite ugly real quick and, where he came from, it was best to remove temptation.

"Waiting for you to finish playing those mind games you like to play. I can't be close to you, but let me be close. Go away, come back." Paige sat there, coolly telling Jono what she thought. "Then it occurred to me, the prize isn't worth the game." Ev flinched at that one.

*Wait jus--*

Paige continued as Sean and Moira walked in, "When you get professional help, give me a call. 'Cause until you want to be open and honest, I'm not playing. You have to earn the right to play games with me." That was an Emma line, if ever Jubilee had heard one.

*Get 'elp!* Jono jumped to his feet.

Paige took a sip of her orange juice and continued. "And then I'll check my dance card and see if I want to add your name to it. If I have the room, that is." She was unflappable, the very picture of poise, as she sat there with a half grin dancing across her face. Jono looked like he was going to say something and then stopped. He stormed out of the room.

Jubilee and Ev looked at each other. What had just happened? "Please pass me the butter." Paige asked.

***

Sean started to chase after Jono when Moira reached out to stop him. "Let him go," she suggested. "From what A've heard, he earned that treatment."

Sean shook his head, remembering the course of the Paige/Jono relationship. "He did at that." He was proud of Paige standing up to Jono that way. Maybe Emma's independent study course with her was doing her some good.

Moira smiled. "She took a bad relationship and ended it. Guid for her," she said. "We on the other hand... "

"Need tae talk," Sean nodded. Until they had started to walk into the breakfast room, he didn't know what he wanted to say. He motioned for Moira to follow him as they walked into the study, and he closed the door.

"We need tae get professional help or break up," she told him honestly. Seeing Rahne start a new relationship made her miss what she had once had with Sean so much more than she thought possible.

Sean nodded. "Sae much has happened, we need tae talk it over with someone else." Paige telling Jono to get help made him realize Jono wasn't the only person on the team that needed it.

In under five minutes, they had located a member of Xavier's underground who was a relationship counselor. She was running a SOS couple's retreat this week. They quickly packed and left, leaving a note on the fridge.

You make time for what's important.

***

Sam woke up around ten, sleeping in late for him. He went down to the kitchen and started to forage for some food. Rogue was reading the morning paper, laughing over the comics when she spotted him. "Mornin'."

"Mornin'," Sam got down his box of Corn Pops and poured some in a bowl. He then added some Rice Crispies to the mix, and poured milk over it. Rogue had a pot of coffee going, so he grabbed a mug.

Rogue cleared off a spot on the table and motioned for Sam to sit down. "Before Paige's ass goes inta a sling, can Ah take her to the Auburn-Mississippi game?" Rogue was a Reb's fan, so much that Sam honestly thought the stripe in her hair was to show loyalty to the team. She had two season tickets to every game they played, and Paige's second favorite team was Auburn. Both Sam and Paige rooted first and foremost for the Wildcats of Kentucky so it was very interesting when the Rebs and Wildcats played.

Sam thought it over. "Ah need ta say something to her today, before she thinks she can get away with what she did."

"Sugar, why dontcha ya and Rahne enjoy the day together and let me talk ta Paige? She needs a woman to woman talk." Rogue offered. She was both Sam's friend and Paige's friend and was trying to act as both.

Sam sighed as he sipped his coffee. It would be nice to let Rogue talk to Paige, so he didn't seem so bossy. But he needed to talk to her too. "Ah don't know. What with Elizabeth gettin' married soon and all, Ah want ta talk ta her."

Rogue sipped her coffee and asked him, "Then ya know about Elizabeth? Paige thought yer momma was goin' ta tell ya later."

"Lizzy called me last week and we talked." Sam sighed as he wished he could believe in abortion as a viable option. It wasn't right for her to have to get married and, because he and Paige were mutants, the idea of adoption had been ruled out. There was no good way out for his sister. "She can't raise that young'un alone and Momma feels that she and Craig should do right by the baby." And sometimes, as Sam knew very well, a shotgun wedding could turn out well. But his parents had already planned to get married after they finished college.

"And Paige is hurt that her sister is gettin' the guy she wanted and the only reason she got him is because she put out and Paige didn't," Rogue told him. Sam was surprised to hear those details. "So she goes out and decides ta do somethin' dumb."

"Why Bobby?" That was the one part Sam couldn't figure out.

"Who else but Bobby?" Rogue got up and went to the fridge. "Want some OJ?" Sam shook his head, and Rogue continued as she refilled her cup. "Think of the single guys she knows, and know she's not going ta do something that stupid. That rules out the guys from her school, and she doesn't know X-Factor," Sam shook his head, imagining Paige with Sabertooth or Wild Child. "That leaves X-Force or the X- Men."

"An' the guys in X-Force know Ah'd kick their butts from here ta yonder and back if they went out with her. Bobby was the only one for her ta ask out." Sam finished his cereal. "But why are ya assuming she'd think logically?"

Rogue laughed at that one. Sam, a man, lacked the part of the brain that would allow him to see his sister for what she was. "She thinks more than ya would expect."

Sam looked puzzled and then let it pass. "Ah'll talk ta Paige this mornin' and then you can talk ta her this afternoon."

Rogue smiled, "Great! I'll call Kim in Tallassee and tell her ta expect us ta pop in on her and ride with her ta the game." Kim was a member of Xavier's underground who lived about thirty minutes away from Auburn, and almost as fanatical about Auburn football as Rogue was about the Rebs.

After pouring herself another cup of coffee, Rogue continued. "So, are ya happy about ya and Rahne?"

Sam smiled, "It's our time. The right time, and Ah'm very happy."

Rogue nodded, "Ah'm glad ta hear it."

The phone rang and Rogue answered it. "No, Ah don't know a Mister Turnip Green— oh ya mean Sam!" Quickly, she handed the phone to him.

There was only one person in the world that would dare call Sam that. "Hello, Li'l Bit," he said without waiting for her to speak.

"Mornin' Sam!" Li'l Bit was a dear friend of Sam's, the one that allowed him to get into 'Gone Country' last night, and was pursuing her dreams in Nashville. "Breakin' any hearts?" Although they had decided that they shouldn't date, she was still the biggest supporter of Sam's love life.

"Ah hope not, Rahne would kill me!" Sam said without thinking. He could hear his friend clap her hands as she celebrated his love life. In a way, him having a girlfriend made it easier for them to be friends. He was as loyal as the day was long, and she respected him for that.

"That's great! Ah hope, in a while, y'll bring her down ta meet me." It would have to be a while, Rahne didn't need to be put in a situation where she would feel uncomfortable, and Li'l Bit, with her Barbie doll looks and southern flare, had a way of making women uncomfortable. Sometimes, she would play dumb to make other women not dislike her.

"Sure! Ah'd love that." Once he and Rahne were tight, that was.

"Ah hope she likes Contemporary Christian Music, 'cause Ah need a itty-bitty, teeny-weeny, li'l ol' favor." Sam knew from experience the more words between "a" and "favor" the bigger the favor was.

"What?" Sam asked carefully. Rahne loved CCM, she had given him DC-Talk's new CD for Christmas.

Li'l Bit sighed, "Ah'm opening for Little Texas tonight in Seattle, and Ah have two tickets for the DC-Talk/ Newsboys/ Audio Adrenaline concert in Dallas. Ah promised the opening act Ah would be there, and someone needs ta pick 'em up from the hotel. Since Ah'm lacking th' ability ta turn a bowl of chile inta fire comin' from my butt--" Sam laughed at her description of his mutant power, "or ta be in two places at once, Ah was wondering if'en ya would do it." Nashville was home to the country music and Christian music industry. People in one group tended to have close friends in the other, and Li'l Bit was the kind that would have many friends in both groups.

"Congrats! Little Texas is a good group," Sam told her. "Ah'd love ta take Rahne ta the concert." They quickly made plans.

***

Rahne got up at about eleven and tried to call Kitty. No such luck, but she got a chance to talk to Kurt. "I've got a surprise for you," he started.

"A'm getting me Carman CD back?" Rahne had loaned Kurt her CD six months ago, and he never had returned it. Although she didn't like Carman that much, it was a good joke between the two.

Kurt shook his head. "Not that lucky. Amanda came back — I'm going to be a daddy!" Rahne smiled for her friend. "She was a little afraid to tell me, so she went off to get her head together."

"That's great! Ye'll have tae tell Moira," Rahne smiled as she imagined Muir Island adding a nursery.

"So what did you want to tell Kitty?" Kurt leaned forward, not having any contact with X-Gossip for the day.

"She'll kill me unless A tell her first." Rahne said with a smile, "Sae if ye hear aboot me and Sam datin', don't tell her."

"Congratulations, little one!" Kurt told her, "No more blind dates!" Rahne laughed at that remark.

"Now, A cannae tell even my prayer partner aboot me and Sam dating before A tell Kitty," Rahne warned as she laughed. Kurt, her prayer partner, knew how to keep something confidential, but Kitty was her closest friend on the team. "So can A ask ye tae pray aboot something A haven't told ya aboot?"

"You're in my prayers," Kurt promised.

"A'm sae happy." Rahne beamed. "Sam and A feel right."